HC Deb 13 July 1999 vol 335 cc149-50W
Ms Oona King

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will bring forward proposals to prevent people selecting the ethnic or religious group of the person to whom they donate an organ; [90986]

(2) how many people who donated organs specified that such organs were to be used for patients of a particular ethnic or religious group in each of the past five years. [90987]

Mr. Dobson

On 6 July, I was told of a case where organs for transplant had been accepted on condition that they shall be given to white recipients only. I immediately ordered an investigation by the Permanent Secretary in the Department of Health. So far, this investigation has not identified any case beyond that originally brought to my attention, which occurred in 1998. I shall take whatever action is necessary to prevent this practice.